Half to wilbur f



(No Model.)

J. P. LAVIGNE.

. BICYCLE PEDAL. No. 594,405.

Patented Nov: 30,1897.

H H J D 1 H H B IIMHTHJHmEHHMMI IF@EIIII=IIIII@I r JOSEPH P. LAVIGNE, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO WILBUR F. DAY, OF SAME PLACE.

BICYCLE-PEDAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,405, dated November 30, 1897.

Application filed February 10, 1896. $erial No. 578,649. (No model.)

To all whom it -m0by concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. LAVIGNE, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Bicycle Pedals; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full,'clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a View, partly in plan and partly in section, of one form which a pedal constructedin accordance with my invention may assume; Fig. 2, a similar end view thereof; Fig. 3, a detached view, in side elevation, of one of the plates; Fig. 4, a detached View in perspective of one of the rubber bars.

My invention relates to an improved pedal for bicycles, the object being to produce a combined rat-trap and rubber-bar pedal adapted to be convertibly balanced so as to present uppermost to the foot either one foothold or the other, according to the disposition of the rider or the dictation of circumstances, so that one pedal is made to combine the advantages of the two types of pedals, whereby an obvious gain in economy and convenience is effected.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown I employ two'corresponding footholdplates A A, having difierentiated edges, each having one edge serrated to form a rat-trap foothold A and each having one edge provided with a rubber bar A to form a rubberbar foothold. As shown, the rubber bars A are secured in place by their provision with ribs A which are inserted into skeleton-like pockets formed by cutting the edges of the plates transversely, so as to produce retainingfingers A which are alternately set in opposite directions to form skeleton rib-receiving pockets, as shown in Fig. 2. Each of the plates is also provided with two pairs of retaining-horns A A and A A, the horns A being located at the ends of the rat-trap foothold and the horns A at the ends of the rubber-bar foothold. Each of the plates is also constructed with two transversely-arranged slots A A corresponding to each other and located on opposite sides of the longitudinal centers of the plates.

As herein shown, the pedal-frame consists of a hub B and four laterally-projecting arms B, arranged in two pairs, located opposite each other and extending in opposite direc- The hub B receives the pedal-pin O,

tions. which may be of any approved construction and to which the frame may be applied in any suitable manner. The outer ends of the arms B are .formed with longitudinallythreaded holes for the reception of retainingscrews D, the shanks of which pass through the slots A and which secure the footholdplates to the arms of the frame, as shown in Fig. 2. Friction-springs E, located between the plates and the arms, hold the plates in position. It will be understood from the foregoing that the plates may be adjusted with respect to the frame within the limits fixed by the length of the slots A which are long enough to permit the plates to be sufficiently moved to shift the center of gravity of the pedal, so as to cause it to balance with the rat-trap footholds of its plates uppermost or with the rubber-bar footholds of its plates uppermost. If, therefore, it is desired to use the pedal as a rat-trap pedal, the plates are pushed downward against the tension of the springs E and by means of their. rat-trapfoothold edges, so that the center of gravity of the pedal will fall below the pedal-pin and be on the side adjacent to the rubber-bar footholds. Under these conditions the rattrap footholds of the foothold-plates will be uppermost and the pedal will be balanced in that position. By pushing the plates in the opposite direction the center of gravity will be transferred to the side of the pedal adjacent to the rat-trap footholds of the footholdplates and the pedal will be balanced with its rubber-bar edges uppermost. The shifting of the plates, as described, is conveniently effected and may, if desired, be done by the rider when he is propelling the machine.

When the pedal is adjusted to use the rattrap foolholds, it is as effective as any rattrap pedal, while, on the other hand, if it is adjusted to use the rubber-bar footholds it is as effective as any rubber-bar pedal. 1 thus combine by my invention pedals of the two types in one pedal to obvious advantage.

It is apparent that in carrying out my invention some changes from the construction herein shown and described may be made. Thus the particular form of the footholdplates and their respective edges and the form of the frame maybe changed. I do not therefore limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a convertible balanced pedal,the combination with a pedal-frame comprising a hub, and arms projecting laterally therefrom, of foothold-plates having their edges differentiated in their holding character, applied to the outer ends of the said arms and movable with respect thereto for shifting the center of gravity in the pedal to cause the same to balance with either edge of its footholds uppermost.

2. In a convertible bicycle-pedal, the combination with a frame comprising a hub, and arms projecting laterally therefrom, of two foothold-plates having their edges differentiated to form rat-trap and rubber-bar footholds, and applied to the outer ends of the said arms with respect to which they are movable for shifting the center of gravity in the pedal so as to balance it with either the rattrap or rubber-bar edges of its plates uppermost.

3. In a convertible balanced bicycle-pedal, the combination with the frame thereof, of two foothold-plates formed with slots, means for securing the plates through their slots to the frame, and springs interposed between the plates and the frame for normally restraining the movement of the plates, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH P. LAVIGNE. Witnesses:

FRED. O. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KELsEY. 

